Patients have become more involved with their care. Therefore, healthcare systems and providers are under intense pressure to change the dynamics of their interactions with patients and prospective patients.

7 Secrets Your Account Managers Wish You Knew

By: Colleen Eschweiler | 07/10/2019

At a busy agency, account managers are essential to a project’s efficient completion, quality deliverables, and excellent correspondence and collaboration with the client. The process would be a little bumpier without them to ensure the team is on track with budgets, timelines, and details.

A lot of responsibility falls on their shoulders, and with it comes long hours, client expectations, and pressing deadlines. I’m sure your heart just breaks for them, and you’re probably wondering, “As a resource, what can I do to make my AM’s life easier?”

They are so glad you asked. Here’s a list of 7 secrets your account managers wish you knew.

1. We are here to make sure the client stays happy.

We’re not poking holes in your work because we want to, in fact doing so is usually uncomfortable for us. We just want to make sure we ask all the questions our client may ask so that we can be prepared for them ahead of time, and deliver a more pristine final product that will best fit their needs.

2. Please do not discredit our feedback.

Although we are not subject matter experts, we are the client experts. We don’t have as much experience in the tools you utilize, but we do have occasional input. We feel appreciated when you value it, because we are always speaking with the client in mind. We would hate for you to take our input personally, because--remember--we are on the same team!

3. The relational aspect of our job can be very difficult.

Balancing expectations and concerns from the client with your creative influence and expertise while also ensuring the successful collaboration of the team is a daunting task, and we are trying to navigate it as best as we can. It serves us best when you’re ready, willing, and flexible.

4. We love when you take initiative.

There is always a lot going on in our world. It makes a huge difference when the occasional task of following up with you to check on progress is absent, and we can trust you to take responsibility and complete your portion on time. We understand you have a lot going on too, so even if a to-do item is going to be finished past its deadline, it would be an enormous help if you made us aware of this so we can determine an action plan and inform the client.

5. Don’t be afraid of collaborating without us.

If you need to work with another resource, we love knowing that we can trust you to set up a quick meeting with them without us having to tell you directly to do so. What’s even better is receiving a meeting recap with next steps from you. It’s kind of like Christmas morning without the calories.

6. Be sure to occasionally “zoom out” on a project.

Getting a high-level overview of the project, its deliverables, its timeline, and its budget helps in everyone’s understanding of what is required. We promise we don’t set deadlines to make your life harder, we only set them with the timeline and scope in mind.

7. We are on the same team.

We want to help and support you, not make your life harder. Here at Hileman Group, we win together! That means we’re rooting for each other, and anytime it seems to come across differently, it’s because we’re doing our best to work for the good of the team and the client.

Long story short, you’re in this together. It’s their goal to be here for the client and for you, and they love when you have their backs in return. Working with you is a pleasure, and these 7 tidbits are a huge help to them. They thank you in advance!